Tweet #theGAC  NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – For the second time in as many Great American Conference Baseball Championship games, top-seeded Arkansas-Monticello claimed a last-at-bat victory as an Aidan Garrett sacrifice fly produced the winning run in a 3-2 contest with Southern Arkansas on Thursday from Dickey-Stephens Park.

The Weevils (30-21) generated the winning run without benefit of a hit. Chaz Poppy and Cade Cancilla each reached after being hit by pitches sandwiched around a Chase Cripps walk. SAU (30-19) moved to a five-man infield and on a 3-2 pitch, Garrett lifted a fly ball to left field deep enough for Poppy to score the decisive run. On Monday, they clinched their best-of-three series against Oklahoma Baptist on a bottom-of-the-11th rally.

SAU drew even in the top half of the ninth inning when Chris Lyles singled in Peyton Ballard. The Muleriders failed to take the lead as they stranded runners at first and third. GAC Freshman of the Year Camden Tanner had put the Weevils ahead in the eighth with a run-scoring single.

Both starting pitchers - Charles Peacock for UAM and Jeremy Adorno for SAU - excelled as each carried shutouts into the sixth inning. The Muleriders’ Jaden Woolbright touched up Peacock for a solo home run in the sixth inning and UAM strung together three singles in the seventh off Adorno. Neither factored in the decision. Peacock completed 6.0 innings. He allowed one run on five hits with three strikeouts. Adorno struck out five in 6.1 innings of work.

The Weevils face Harding at 11 a.m. on Friday. The Muleriders face Arkansas Tech in an elimination game at 3 p.m.